She faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted, said prosecutor Harrison Kennedy.

Maintenance worker George Wolf testified that he was on the roof of a shopping center on Plaza Boulevard the afternoon of July 24 when he noticed people gathered near a car in the parking lot. He saw security footage on his iPod that showed something in the back seat.

He then jumped off the roof and, with help from a police officer, pulled down a rear window to get to the baby. She had been in the hot car about seven minutes.

National City police Officer Michael Harris testified that the baby was sweating profusely and was unresponsive when he tried to revive her. He said the infant’s mother came out of a clothing store and carried the child, at the officer’s direction, into the shade.

Eventually, Kaylahni began to move.

The mother said she had been in the store for only a minute.

Attorney Jo Anne Tyrell argued in court that her client, who has no criminal record, learned “a very important lesson” from her mistake.

The judge denied a defense request to reduce the felony charge to a misdemeanor.